A couple of years back, we did a story on the world’s longest car that goes by the name ‘American Dream.’ Measuring 100 feet (30.5 meters) in length, Guinness World Records confirmed the American Dream as the longest car in the world in the mid-1990s – a record that still remains unbeaten. However, several photos and videos have been doing rounds on the internet for the last few years that show the ultra-stretched limousine has fallen into a horrible state of disrepair. In fact, a Reddit user posted one such picture recently that again fueled the topic of saving the incredible automobile. Broken windows, missing parts, leaky roof and floor, and rusted out body – the American Dream looks unsalvageable in that photo. But, we are happy to report that the American Dream has been rescued and will soon return to its former glory.
Before we talk about its restoration, it’s important to point out why the American Dream absolutely deserves to be saved and put up in a museum.
The ultra-stretched limo was created in 1986 by California-based custom car guru Jay Ohrberg. He’s the same guy who designed notable Hollywood cars like the KITT from Knight Rider and the DeLorean in Back to the Future. The American Dream is based on a 1970s Cadillac Eldorado and it’s long enough to be called a superyacht if it were a sea vessel. The stretched limo has 26 wheels in total and can be driven from both sides. In case you are wondering how can a car this long be driven on public roads, there’s a hinge in the middle that lets the American Dream be separated into two parts. The front part of the limo can function as a standalone limo, as well.
During its heyday, the American Dream was like nothing else anyone had ever seen. The hundred-footer could fit in more than 70 people and had amenities that could easily match that of a presidential suite of a 5-star hotel. It came with a king-sized water bed, a swimming pool with a diving board, Jacuzzi, a mini kitchen, and even a helipad.
The stretched limousine was mainly created for car shows and movies, and its inclusion in the Guinness World Records immediately catapulted it to stardom.
It traveled around the United States and made many onscreen appearances. But slowly the world lost interest in the American Dream and its owners eventually dumped it in a warehouse in New Jersey. Unloved for years, the stretched-limo turned into a rust bucket and was last seen in a deplorable condition.
Autoseum, a technical teaching museum in Nassau County, New York, initially acquired it with plans to restore it. But budgetary constraints and other issues forced the project to be paused indefinitely. However, hope arrived in the form of Dezerland Park in Orlando, Florida that purchased the Caddy for its car museum. The limo was transported from New York to Florida and the restoration work finally started in August 2019, as reported by Motor1. Pictures of the refurbishment process being carried out at the Dezerland Park suggest most of the work has been done and it was to be completed by the spring of 2021, but the pandemic apparently disrupted the progress. However, we are pretty sure the restoration work would be completed soon and the American Dream will be ready once again to enthrall the public.
